Industrial History
Although the industrial revolution made huge changes to the scale of industry throughout Britain, it does not mark the complete beginning of industrial works in the Yorkshire Dales.  While farming has long been the central economy of the Dales, industries such as those linked to exploiting its mineral wealth and craft based enterprises have had an important part to play from the very earliest times.

The most valuable mineral resource in the Dales was lead ore, and there is evidence to suggest that it was extracted and turned into lead as early as Roman times.  The ore was in such abundance and demand that lead mining was a mainstay of the economy from Medieval times and by the 18th century, parts of Swaledale and Wharfedale were almost entirely given over to the mining and processing of the lead ore.  One such site was Old Gang in Swaledale where, as shown in the image, there is the remains of a lead smelting mill.

Other industries included coal and peat extraction, hydroelectric power, industrial lime burning, leather and tallow, stone and textiles.